Cremona, Italy
Philadelphia InternationalMusic Festival - Cremona
Students train with world-class musicians while family members discover the treasures of Northern Italy.
Talent Blooms in the City of Violins
Give your student 11 extraordinary days of performance training, while you enjoy an unforgettable journey through the very best of Northern Italy.
This is not just a study trip. It is a parallel journey designed to honor both the aspiring artist and the family that supports them. While students train at an intensive solo festival in Cremona, those on the Family & Friends Tour dive into Italian culture, wine and history: an overnight stay at the world-class L’Albereta Spa and Winery in Erbusco, and private tours of Brescia, Bergamo and Mantova.
Open to all instruments, including piano
- 11 Days in Northern Italy
- 8 Cities and towns
- 1 Grand Finale Recital
Eleven Days in Northern Italy
The Birthplace of Antonio Stradivarius
Cremona is a small city on the Po plain with an outsized claim: Amati, Guarneri and Stradivari all worked here, and the workshops never left. Walk ten minutes through the historic center and you will pass luthiers bending wood by hand, the same way it was done four hundred years ago.
In between lessons, practice, rehearsals and performances, students explore this compact capital of violins with an insider tour of a lutherie, getting up close to priceless instruments, researching every gelato flavor on offer, and vibing with music history with every step.
Students and families both reside in Cremona at the Hotel Impero, in the very heart of the historic downtown, enjoying authentic Italian-style meals throughout the festival.
PIMF-Italy Includes
Sample Festival-Day Schedule (For Students, While Parents Are Touring)
A private lesson or a thirty-minute workout with assigned accompanist.
An hour-long solo performance class: you play for the room, and the room listens the way an audience listens.
Four to five hours of required private practice, in a city built around the sound of it.
Masterclass with a member of our world-class faculty. Select students perform each evening.
Authentic Italian meals with the whole group, and gelato in the historic center.
Everything Else You Will Want to Know
Eleven days, door to door.
We all stay together in the heart of historic downtown Cremona, students and family alike.
Breakfast and dinner are included daily. Lunch is on your own.
Students under 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. All others are welcome to join with or without accompanying family members.
Includes everything but airfare and the add-on trip to the Dolomites ($175).
Fly with PIMF from Philadelphia, or purchase tickets independently.
The Faculty in Cremona
Audition Requirements
PIMF alumni may bypass the audition process and register online at any time. Friends and family may also register at any time. Students new to the Solo Programs at PIMF must first submit an audition.
- Five to ten minutes of current, well-prepared solo repertoire.
- Performances may be accompanied or unaccompanied.
- Recordings should include at least two contrasting pieces.
- Please include scales appropriate to your instrument.
- After your student’s audition has been reviewed and admitted by our panel, you will receive a link to register for the program.
Ask Us Anything About Italy
Tell us who is traveling and what you would like to know. A festival coordinator will get back to you.
Questions Families Ask
When is the audition deadline?
There is no single deadline. Acceptance is on a rolling basis and spaces are limited, so auditioning early matters more than auditioning by a date. Once the program is full, a note appears at the top of this page.
Can my student go without us?
Yes. Students travel with PIMF staff, stay with the festival group at the Hotel Impero, and are supervised throughout. Families are welcome on the trip but are not required, and many students travel with the festival alone. Students under 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Can family and friends really come along?
Yes, and many families do. The Family & Friends Tour is built around the festival schedule so that on most days that we are not touring together, we will still eat breakfast and dinner together in Cremona.
What does my child do while parents are touring?
They are in Cremona participating in the festival: private lessons, a daily performance class, four to five hours of daily practice, master classes with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and rehearsal for the Grand Finale Recital. They are supervised by festival staff throughout and stay at the same hotel the tour returns to.
Is airfare included?
No. PIMF’s flight departs from Philadelphia on August 1. Families may join us on this flight or travel independently, meeting up with us in Italy. Detailed flight information is sent after registration.
Are meals included?
Yes. Two meals daily are included for both students and family and friends throughout the program. The exception is the days we travel to the five-star spa in Erbusco (for parents). Breakfast is included; lunch and dinner are on your own at one of the fabulous restaurants on site.
What if we need help with the audition upload?
Auditions are processed through the Accept’d platform, accessed through the PIMF website. Should anything go wrong with the upload, contact Accept’d Support or email rachel.rowe@pimf.org for assistance.
How do we register once accepted?
Students receive registration instructions in their acceptance letter, sent within fourteen days of the audition. Family and friends may register at any time.
Eleven Days They’ll Talk About for a Lifetime
Your musician will be studying with world-class instructors, performing in the historical city of Cremona, touring some of the most breathtaking cities in Northern Italy, and developing friendships that will last a lifetime. In our opinion, PIMF-Italy is an opportunity your young musician CAN’T AFFORD to miss.
Rolling admission · Spaces are limited